


Collecting

by Fangirling_FTW



Series: Destiel One-Shots [23]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bromance, Castiel in the Bunker, Fluff, M/M, Sastiel - Freeform, can be read as friends or something more, seriously so fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-01 18:28:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15149219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirling_FTW/pseuds/Fangirling_FTW
Summary: Sam accidentally starts a collection for Castiel.





	Collecting

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS SO MUCH FLOOOOOF AND I HAVE NO REGRETS!!
> 
> Can be read as a Sam/Cas fic or as a Sam & Cas fic, left it vague enough to be up to the reader <3
> 
> Anyway enjoy the happy boys ^_^

The one that started it all was from a local flea and farmer’s market.

Sam had wanted some fresh produce to supplement their not so fresh diet in the bunker, so he perused the local paper until he found a farmer’s market near enough to them to make the drive worthwhile.  Cas had shown up in the library as Sam was getting ready to leave, hovering awkwardly until Sam eventually invited him along.  He wasn’t exactly sure why Cas wanted to go, but he wasn’t going to argue.

They wandered the booths for a while, Sam grabbing a few things here and there until Cas was carrying three reusable shopping bags filled with fresh fruits, veggies, and even some eggs.  After grabbing a six pack of locally brewed beer to appease Dean, Sam turned to leave, but Cas stopped at a booth, closely examining the tables Sam realized were covered in nothing but tacky looking shot glasses.

“I don’t understand,” he’d said as Sam walked up to him, “these are all the same size and serve the same purpose, why make so many?”

“People collect them,” Sam explained.  “They try and find as many unique ones as possible and just kinda accumulate them, I guess.”

“But why?”

“Well, memories, I guess.”  Sam picked up one of the ones that said Kansas in tacky green and orange lettering.  “See, a lot of people will buy them from places they’ve been, so they look at the glass and remember their vacation.”  Cas nodded seriously, like he was really listening to what Sam was saying.

“So they go on a trip somewhere for leisure purposes, and the glass is a tangible reminder of their happiness?”

“I guess,” Sam chuckled.  “I mean, we never really went on vacation or anything but for a while I used to keep little things from the schools I liked going to.”  Cas shuffled the groceries into one hand so he could take the small glass from Sam, tilting his head slightly as he examined it.  The person at the booth raised an eyebrow at Cas’ curiosity, an amused quirk to his mouth.

“It’s strange, the way humans have of assigning value to things based on arbitrary personal preference.”  Sam didn’t miss the affection in Cas’ voice.

“Tell you what,” Sam pulled out his wallet, giving the $2.75 to the guy behind the table, “keep it, Cas.”  Cas looks pleased, sliding the glass carefully into his pocket.

“Thank you, Sam.”

 

That’s how it all started: with that ugly little orange and green glass.

 

Two days later, when Sam and Dean had stopped for gas and snacks on their way through Oklahoma, Sam noticed some shot glasses on the counter of the Gas and Sip.  Without thinking much about it Sam snagged one with a cowboy hat on it and set it on top the pile of beef jerky and Twizzlers.  When they returned home, Cas was surprised when Sam gave it to him, but Sam didn’t miss how he proudly set it next to his Kansas shot glass on his bedside table.

 

And so it continued, Sam would grab glasses each time he and Dean stopped- out of convenience stores, motel lobbies, shady stands on the side of the road- and bring them home for Cas.  He noticed Cas enjoyed the ones with animals on them the most, and Cas actually smiled when Sam handed him his 20th shot glass: a yellow glass with bees painted all over the sides.

Dean doesn’t notice Sam’s unusual purchases until a few weeks after the bee, when he catches Sam smiling down at the new one he’s just picked out.  It’s a light blue frosted glass with a dolphin etched on it.

“So that’s where all those came from.” Dean huffs, sliding into the Impala and closing the door, dropping their bags of greasy fast food lunch on the seat next to him.  Sam puts the glass back in the bag, shrugging like it’s no big deal.

“All what?”

“The glasses in Cas’ room,” Dean chuckles.  “I thought he was finding them on his own, I didn’t realize you were bringing them to him.”

“What of it?” Sam asks, not sure why he feels embarrassed.

“Nothing, it’s just… he asked for help putting a shelf up yesterday and when I asked why, he showed me his collection, all proud and everything.”  Dean’s tone is amused, and Sam shrugs.

“They make him happy, Dean.  I just- he deserves... something good.”  Sam shrugs lamely, not sure how else to put it into words.  “Even if it’s just... these.” 

Dean doesn’t say anything else about it, his agreement obvious in his silence.

 

When they get back to the bunker, Sam goes to his room to unpack before he heads to Cas’ room.  Cas is sitting on the bed reading, and he looks up his eyes widening happily when he sees Sam. Sam holds up the blue glass and watches as Cas’ face softens, his fingers gently taking it and turning to place it with care on his shelf.

“Your collection is getting impressive,” Sam points out.  

“Yes.”  Cas beams with pride, standing up straighter as he looks over them fondly.  Various colors and images create a kind of chaos on the shelf, but as Sam looks them over a pattern becomes obvious.  He notices certain ones placed more prominently in front of others, and Cas’ reactions to those particular ones stand out in his memory.  Sam shifts a little, running his hand through his hair.

“You’re going to need another shelf, soon,” he points out, just to keep the conversation going.

”True, I do appear to be running out of space.”  Cas turns to Sam, a fondness in his eyes. B “I just want to say that it means a lot, that you do this for me.”  Cas’ voice is earnest and it makes Sam duck his head, tucking his hands in his pockets.

“They’re just shot glasses,” Sam huffs a laugh, forcing a shrug.

“Well, like you said, they’re memories.”  Cas looks at Sam expectantly, like he should know what he means.  Sam doesn’t.

“Well, the first one, sure, but I brought them to you, as gifts, how are they your memories?”

“Oh, they’re not my memories,” Cas clarifies with one of his rare smiles.  “They’re yours.”

_ They’re...oh. _

Sam never thought of it that way, but it makes sense.  After all, every time he got one he’d think about Cas, about why he’d like a particular shot glass, or why one reminded him of the angel.  The bees one, for example, reminded Sam of how proud Cas was for collecting his own honey all those years ago, even if he was sort of broken at the time.  The most recent dolphin one Sam had picked out because Cas loved animals...and it kinda matched the color of his eyes.

The glasses really were Sam’s thoughts and feelings drawn from his own memories of Cas.  And here Cas was, treating them with reverence, placing them in a prominent location in his room, where he and anyone else who comes in can see them.

“Thank you,” Sam says quietly, unable to put into words any other feeling but gratitude.  Cas nods once, his hand coming to rest on Sam’s bicep briefly before it falls away, Cas turning back to his shelf of glasses.

“I think you were right about another shelf,” he observes, the utmost sincerity in his voice.

“Screw a shelf,” Sam huffs, patting Cas on the shoulder, “I’m going to buy you a whole bookcase.”  


End file.
